Additional information to follow. Please contact us to learn more.

Prior Forums:

Location, Location, Location: Strategies for Administering and Litigating Trusts Across State Lines (Sept. 16, 2025)

Maslon's Inaugural Forum on Wealth Management and Litigation (Sept. 12, 2024)

In "The In-House Counsel’s Guide to Noncompetes and Other Restrictive Covenants," the attorneys and their in-house counsel panelists discuss what companies need to be thinking about when using restrictive covenants with employees and how they can best navigate the changing enforcement landscape.

Moderator:

Michael Sheran, Partner, Maslon

Panelists:

John Duffey, Partner, Maslon
Melissa Muro LaMere, Partner, Maslon
Jana Bruder, Senior Vice President, Associate General Counsel, U.S. Bank
Mary Heath, Corporate Counsel, Bio-Techne

Maslon is a co-sponsor of the event.

To register, go to ACC MN 15th Annual In-House Counsel Conference.

ACC Minnesota will seek approval with the Minnesota State Board of Continuing Legal Education for 1.0 hour of standard CLE credit.

In this CLE, presented June 18, we’ll break down the mechanics of the new Trust Code updates and how ultra-high net worth individuals can take advantage of the new dynasty trust statute. Then, we will pivot to the front lines of client protection: identifying subtle red flags of financial exploitation in vulnerable adults and explaining the impact of the new statutory protection.

Presenters:

Michael Sampson, Partner and Chair, Estate Planning Group. Mike's legal practice focuses on high-end estate and tax planning, estate and trust administration, charitable planning, and business succession planning. Mike helps his clients focus on what it is they really want to accomplish with their wealth. After assisting his clients in identifying their specific wealth planning goals, Mike works with them and their other professional advisors to develop and implement wealth transfer strategies that are consistent not only with their goals, but also with their cash flow needs and tolerance for risk.

Evan Nelson, Partner, Trust & Estate Litigation Group. Evan describes himself as a “death and dirt” lawyer. He represents clients in trusts and estate disputes, which often come to a head after a family member has died, and in real estate litigation, where clients dispute who owns and controls access to "dirt." Because the two often intersect, as people will gift land (or attempt to do so) via their wills or trusts, Evan’s distinct capabilities prove particularly beneficial. Trust and estate law is written to balance the interests of fiduciaries and beneficiaries. Evan has significant litigation experience representing both sides, and he enjoys using that experience to craft a successful litigation strategy tailored for either type of client.

Carly Johnson, Associate, Trust & Estate Litigation Group. Carly assists clients across a broad range of disputes, with a particular emphasis on trust and estate, including guardianships/conservatorships, contested estates, probate, and elder law matters. She also advises clients on contract, construction, and real estate disputes. Carly's practice is informed by her active civic engagement and service, which includes her election to the Oak Park Heights, Minnesota, city council in 2018.

Continuing Education: Maslon will seek approval with the Minnesota State Board of Continuing Legal Education for 1.0 hour of standard CLE credit, and with American Bankers Association (ABA) Professional Certifications for the equivalent Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor (CTFA) credit.

For more information, write to us here. 

Bryan is an experienced first-chair litigator who specializes in representing business policyholders with claims against their insurance companies. He has helped clients recover millions in insurance proceeds for claims. He is coverage counsel for Cambria in litigation against insurers, for a global manufacturer defending against a national portfolio of PFAS litigation, and for a major health care company seeking insurance recovery in connection with opioid litigation. He also served as lead counsel for Life Time in litigation for COVID-related business-interruption losses. In August 2025, the Minnesota Court of Appeals ruled in favor of Life Time, and the Minnesota Supreme Court declined further review, resulting in a $40 million recovery for Life Time.

This year, MSBA President Tom Pack selected the Maslon attorneys, who served as part of the pro bono Rule of Law Amicus Brief Team, for their extraordinary efforts to represent the MSBA as amicus in two federal lawsuits during the height of Operation Metro Surge.

"When our community needed thoughtful legal leadership, this team stepped forward without hesitation," Pack said. "They donated countless hours, brought extraordinary skill and judgment to their work, and helped the MSBA raise its voice in support of the rule of law during a challenging and consequential time. Their commitment exemplifies the very best of our profession, and I am honored to recognize them with this year's President's Award."

Also honored were team members Mark Bradford, Guus Duindam, and Norman Pentelovitch.

Construction – Band 1
Notably, the Construction & Real Estate Litigation group and its co-chair, David Suchar, were ranked Band 1 in Minnesota, the highest possible rating. (David has been at the top rank for three consecutive years.) Only two other firms and five other attorneys attained that ranking in Minnesota. Jason Lien, who co-chairs the practice group with David, and Jevon Bindman were also ranked in Construction.

Product Liability Litigation – Band 1
The Tort & Product Liability group and its co-chairs, Katie Maechler and Stephanie Laws, were ranked Band 1 in Minnesota in Product Liability Litigation, a new category for Chambers. Only four other firms and seven other lawyers in Minnesota attained that ranking.

The 2026 edition of Chambers USA notes the following:

• Steve Schleicher was ranked Band 1 in White Collar Crime & Government Investigations for the fourth consecutive year and was also ranked in General Commercial Litigation.
• Susan Markey was ranked for the third year in a row for Corporate/M&A.
• Jon Septer was ranked for the third year in a row for Real Estate, the group he chairs.
• Bryan Freeman was ranked for the second year in a row in General Commercial Litigation; he co-chairs the firm’s Litigation practice group.
• The General Commercial Litigation and Corporate/M&A groups were ranked once again.
• The Real Estate group was newly ranked this year.

The rankings are the result of extensive client interviews and research to assess technical legal ability, client service, business understanding, value, team depth, and other qualities most valued by clients.

To view Maslon's full Chambers USA rankings, go to: Chambers USA Guide 2026.

About Chambers and Partners
Since 1969, London-based Chambers and Partners has published world-famous guides to the legal profession. A team of 200 editorial and research analysts conducted thousands of one-on-one interviews with in-house counsel and third-party experts for the Chambers USA Guide 2026.

Founded in 1920, the Federal Bar Association (FBA) is dedicated to the advancement of the science of jurisprudence and to promoting the welfare, interests, education, and professional development of all attorneys involved in federal law. The Minnesota chapter is one of the FBA’s largest.

To learn more about the organization’s work, go to: Federal Bar Association Minnesota Chapter.

At Maslon, Samantha specializes in government and internal investigations as well as complex business litigation at both the state and federal levels. With extensive trial experience, she leverages her deep expertise to represent both corporations and individuals in high-stakes matters, including investigations, white-collar criminal defense, and complex civil litigation.

Maslon attorneys recognized in the Legal 250 for 2026 are:

John Duffey – Business Litigation

Katie Eisler – Mergers & Acquisitions

Bryan Freeman –  Business Litigation

Erica Holzer – Appellate Attorneys

Eran Kahana – Emerging Technologies

Brian Klein – Finance & Banking

Jason Lien – Construction Law

Susan Markey – Mergers & Acquisitions

Jason Reed – Finance & Banking

Michael Sampson – Family Law & Estate Attorneys

Steve Schleicher – Defense Attorneys

Jonathan Septer – Real Estate Attorneys

David Suchar – Construction Law

Julian Zebot – Family Law & Estate Attorneys

To see individual profiles of the honorees, go to Minnesota Lawyer Legal 250.

Maslon attorneys recognized as 2025 North Star Lawyers are as follows:

Nathaniel Ajouri
CB Baga
Jevon Bindman
Carmen Carballo
Clayton Carlson
Emilio Giuliani III
Peter Hennigan
Erica A. Holzer
Susan J. Link
Jim Long
Matthew Loven
Annika Misurya
Evan A. Nelson
Anna Petosky
Jill Petrovic
Jonathan Septer
Haley-Rose Severson
Keiko Sugisaka
Emily Taylor
Laura Trahms-Hagen
Jeremy Walls

In addition to the MSBA's North Star Lawyers program, Maslon's long-standing commitment to pro bono work includes participation in the Pro Bono Challenge, a unique, aspirational pro bono standard developed by law firm leaders and corporate general counsel, which the firm has met in each of the past 11 years. Participating law firms acknowledge their institutional, firm-wide commitment to provide pro bono legal services to low-income and disadvantaged individuals and families and nonprofit groups.

For more information, go to: Minnesota State Bar Association's North Star Lawyer Program.

Date: May 18, 2026

Agenda:

3–3:05 p.m. | Introduction / Speaker Biographies / Summary

3:05–3:15 p.m. | How counsel handle no-contest/exculpatory clauses

3:15–3:20 p.m. | How trustees utilize accounting actions/statements to shorten statutes of limitations

3:20–3:25 p.m. | Effective language in settlement agreements to insulate fiduciaries

3:25–3:30 p.m. | Instances to recommend court proceedings to approve fiduciary conduct

3:30–3:40 p.m. | Underutilized tools for trustees to reduce their liability

3:40–3:48 p.m. | How a scenario where a trustee is resigning in favor of a successor trustee (i.e., the trust is continuing) would change counsel’s advice

3:48–4 p.m. | Questions

Presenters:

• Julian Zebot, Partner; Chair, Trust & Estate Litigation Group, Maslon LLP
  Julian Zebot focuses his legal practice on probate, fiduciary, and trust litigation as well as business and commercial litigation, and he chairs Maslon's Trust & Estate Litigation Group. He has counseled and represented individual and business clients in both federal and state courts as well as arbitration proceedings, and he has handled matters for clients at all stages of the litigation process, including mediation, trials, and appeals.
• Nate Ajouri, Associate, Trust & Estate Litigation Group, Maslon LLP
  Nate helps fiduciaries and individuals navigate often complex probate and estate litigation matters. He also works with a broad spectrum of organizations in business, commercial, and municipal litigation. Nate is dedicated to helping clients through all stages of the process, working closely with them to achieve their goals. He often draws upon his experiences living and studying internationally to offer a unique perspective on his clients' concerns.
• Kelley Scrocca, Counsel, Estate Planning Group, Maslon LLP
  Kelley is a highly experienced trust and estate attorney who specializes in assisting ultra high net worth clients with estate planning, asset protection planning, and complex trust administration. She has represented a wide range of individuals, from professional athletes to ranch owners to members of the U.S. Congress. Kelley works closely with both clients and their families to understand their goals, facilitate wealth transfer, and establish an enduring legacy for future generations.

Continuing Education: Maslon will seek approval with the Minnesota State Board of Continuing Legal Education for 1.0 hour of standard CLE credit.

To register, please contact us at info@maslon.com.

PLAC brings together corporations and outside legal counsel with a common goal of managing risk throughout the product life cycle. Its conferences, webinars, industry discussion forums and action groups are by invitation only. Sustaining members represent the best and most experienced regulatory, trial, and appellate legal professionals from the U.S. and abroad.

Katie has successfully defended a wide variety of national and multinational product manufacturer clients of varying sizes in hundreds of matters across a range of product industries in federal and state courts throughout the country. She has significant experience in the medical device, consumer products, and chemical product industries, serving as national coordinating and trial counsel managing extensive portfolios of product liability filed litigation and unfiled claims, as a lead member in a “virtual law team” for clients managing defense of a mass tort, and as a go-to partner for Am Law 100 firms as local Minnesota counsel.

In 2025, Katie was named among the Top Women in Law in Minnesota Lawyer.

Jevon was presented with the award at the 2026 Annual Banquet, held on April 30. Past honorees include litigation Partner Erica Holzer and the late David Herr.

Jevon works with clients in a range of industries, with a focus on assisting policyholders in insurance coverage disputes and representing stakeholders in construction and real estate matters, as well as appeals. Among his many honors, he has been named an Up and Coming attorney in Minnesota for construction law in Chambers USA, 2024 Attorney of the Year in Minnesota Lawyer, and recipient of the national Holt Gwyn Writing Award from the American College of Construction Lawyers in 2025.

Jim represents clients in the areas of antitrust law, franchise law, and dealer/distribution law in multiple state and federal courts across the country. He has successfully tried cases to juries in antitrust, franchise, dealer termination, and breach of contract cases; responded to state AG, DOJ, and FTC investigations; worked on numerous arbitrations; and argued appeals in the Seventh and Eighth Circuit appellate courts in addition to several state appellate courts.

Jim also serves on Maslon's pro bono committee and devotes many hours to pro bono work each year, including as a volunteer attorney with the Children’s Law Center of Minnesota.

Jim served on the law review while studying for his J.D. at the University of Minnesota Law School, where he now teaches Antitrust Law.

In “Hogwarts School of Risk Transfer: CG 20 10, CG 20 37, and the Grimoire of Additional Insurance,” Jevon and Leah invite attendees into the enchanted world of additional insured endorsements, where contracts cast spells and risk is transferred with the flick of a legal wand. This session demystifies the arcane language of CGL (Commercial General Liability) forms, teaching attorneys how to navigate the magical (and occasionally cursed) realm of coverage extensions.

To register, go to: MSBA Additional Insured Endorsements and Coverage Extensions CLE.

The session is also available on Zoom.

Jevon works with clients in a range of industries, with a focus on representing stakeholders in construction and real estate matters and assisting policyholders in insurance coverage disputes, including at the appellate level. He has established himself as a thought leader in the Minnesota legal community, co-authoring four volumes of the Minnesota Practice Series. Jevon is an associate fellow with the Construction Lawyers Society of America, and he received the national Holt Gwyn Writing Award in 2025 for best construction article by the American College of Construction Lawyers.

Leah has a decade of experience in complex commercial disputes, including construction and insurance matters. She practices in state and federal courts nationwide and also represents clients at the appellate level. Leah is an active member of the American Bar Association Forum on Construction Law and the ABA’s Litigation Section.